Personal Narrative: The Varsity Team

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Leading into my sophomore year of high school, band was the center of my life. Providing acceptance and a sense of purpose, I could always count on the fine art to get me through the hardest of days. Everything seemed to effortlessly go right while encompassed within the band world. I was convinced that my desires would invariably be provided for, as I was somehow the special (albeit, shy) exception. With this entitled mentality, I felt invincible going into my first serious audition. On the first Tuesday of every August, our band is deep within the thralls of marching season. Over three hundred students have been perfecting the art of marching, preparing themselves for the infamous Tuesday Varsity tryout. Based on what our directors have seen at these auditions, lists are created. The Junior Varsity (JV) list contains those who are believed to need another year to mature. The Varsity team, on the other hand, begins learning our anxiously-anticipated show the next day. Following a grueling freshman year on JV, I was ready to step up and become a member of the Varsity team that I so admired. …show more content…

These notions fed into my ‘special exception’ ideas, and I became confident in my Varsity placement. At 8:12 that evening, I saw friends on social media erupt in excitement, having earned their long-awaited spot. Pulling up the newly-posted list, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the “Junior Varsity” label attached to my name. The sight left me in tears, bitter towards the world of band. After so many years of not knowing where I belonged, this organization had taken me in, only to deny me what I thought was deservedly mine. In a fit of self-pity, I locked myself in my room, and wished I could forgo ever facing the world

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